Top reasons why you may get a Serial Number Error during Activation

Autodesk Support

Oct 8, 2023

Products and versions covered

Solution:

You entered a typo

Try entering the values again in case you misspelled something.

  • The serial number is misspelled:
  • The company name must match the account name listed for the license.
  • The host name is incorrect (only valid for network licenses).
  • The machine address, physical address, or host ID is incorrect (only valid for network licenses).
  • The host ID is incorrect (only valid for network licenses. For more information, see How to find your Host Name and Physical Address.

Your serial number does not match the product

This error is often displayed as "Serial Number is invalid." There are several reasons why this mismatch can occur.

  • The serial number is valid but is associated with a different product (e.g., AutoCAD LT 2010 versus AutoCAD 2010).
  • The serial number is valid but is associated with a different version of AutoCAD (e.g., AutoCAD 2009 versus AutoCAD 2011).
  • The serial number is valid for a network deployment, but you are trying to activate the product as a stand-alone license (and vice versa).
Before registering and activating your license, make sure your serial number matches the product, release, and type of license you purchased. You can request a report that lists information about your product serial numbers, including product, version, and status, by visiting Contact Support - License Reports.

Your serial number is no longer valid

There are several reasons why a serial number may not be valid.

  • Your product might have been upgraded to a newer version or cross-graded to a different product.
  • The serial number is associated with a product or a release of a product that you are not licensed to use.
  • The serial number is obsolete and has been replaced with another serial number to simplify a contract.

Before registering and activating your product, make sure your serial number matches the product, release, and the type of license you purchased.
See:

You entered the serial number for an individual product rather than the collection serial number

If you are activating a product in a collection, make sure you use the serial number and product key for the collection (not the individual product). For more information, see Finding Serial Numbers & Product Keys.

    The Activate button is grayed out.

    If you entered the serial number and product key, but the Activate button is grayed out, contact the contract manager to assign the product to you.

    Note: After the contract manager assigns the product to you, click Log in as a different user and sign in with your Autodesk Account credentials.

    See also:

    You are trying to activate an ineligible previous version

    You can only activate previous versions that are listed on the eligible previous version list for subscriptions. 
    For more information about when previous versions become ineligible for activation, see Product Support Lifecycle.

    Your contact information doesn't match the serial number

    The contact information doesn't match what is already associated with the serial number when the product was registered. This can happen if there is a change to your name, the company name, or your address after the product was registered. Keep your contact information up-to-date using Register Once. There, you can add an account with your current information, register products to that account, and delete your old accounts, or those with outdated information.

    You've exceeded the activation limit

    Activation limits are based on the type of license agreement you have. They are designed to remain compliant with your license and protect you from someone else using your license. (You may receive "Error 10: Activation Limit Reached" during the in-product activation process.)

    See Also:


    Want to know more about your license? Still having trouble activating?

    Products:

    3ds Max Design; Alias Automotive; AutoCAD Design Suite; AutoCAD; AutoCAD Architecture; Civil 3D; AutoCAD Electrical; AutoCAD LT; AutoCAD Map 3D; AutoCAD Mechanical; AutoCAD MEP; AutoCAD P&ID; AutoCAD Raster Design; Revit;

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